U.S.A. starts air strikes in Iraq

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

The USA is targeting the Islamic State (IS) in northern Iraq. Air strikes have destroyed weapons that the IS captured from Iraq's army. President Obama said he would protect US residents in Iraq's Kurdistan region. IS changed its name from ISIS. It controls a quarter of Iraq and a third of Syria. Mr Obama promised to support Iraqis but would not send troops to Iraq. He said: "American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq."

Mr Obama also wants to protect Iraq's Yazidi people. The Yazidis are ethnic Kurds. Their religion has elements of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Thousands of Yazidis are trapped on a mountain without food and water. The IS told them to convert to Islam, pay a tax, or face death. The UN warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and ethnic cleansing. Reports are that the IS have kidnapped hundreds of Yazidi women.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-08/09/c_133543405.htm
http://en.itar-tass.com/world/744142
http://www.aawsat.net/2014/08/article55335215

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	The USA is targeting	a.	of Iraq
2.	Air strikes have	b.	from Iraq's army
3.	captured	c.	not be returning
4.	IS changed its	d.	the Islamic State (IS)
5.	It controls a quarter	e.	name from ISIS
6.	American combat troops will	f.	destroyed weapons

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	Mr Obama also wants to	a.	without food and water
2.	The Yazidis are	b.	humanitarian catastrophe
3.	Their religion has elements	c.	protect Iraq's Yazidi people
4.	trapped on a mountain	d.	or face death
5.	convert to Islam, pay a tax,	e.	ethnic Kurds
6.	The UN warned of a	f.	of Judaism

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The USA (1) ___________________ Islamic State (IS) in northern Iraq. Air strikes have destroyed weapons that the IS (2) ___________________ army. President Obama said (3) ___________________ US residents in Iraq's Kurdistan region. IS changed its name from ISIS. (4) ___________________ of Iraq and a third of Syria. Mr Obama (5) ___________________ Iraqis but would not send troops to Iraq. He said: "American combat troops will not be (6) ___________________ in Iraq."

Mr Obama (7) ___________________ Iraq's Yazidi people. The Yazidis are ethnic Kurds. Their religion (8) ___________________ Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Thousands of Yazidis (9) ___________________ mountain without food and water. The IS told (10) ___________________ Islam, pay a tax, or face death. The UN warned of a (11) ___________________ and ethnic cleansing. (12) ___________________ IS have kidnapped hundreds of Yazidi women.

IRAQ SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Iraq in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about Iraq for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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